Gathering

Behind the Dragon Knight Warrior Academy, in the hills.

Step—step—

Footsteps echoed as a black-robed figure with a heavy ruler strapped to his back darted through the jungle, moving at high speed toward the central lake.

As the black-robed figure approached, an old man emerged from a crude wooden cabin by the lake.

"Yao Lao!" the figure called out from a distance. The newcomer was none other than Xiao Yan.

The old man, addressed as "Yao Lao," looked Xiao Yan up and down from afar, a flash of surprise crossing his face. "Breaking through to the seventh rank so quickly—your talent is even more outrageous than I anticipated."

"A lucky breakthrough," Xiao Yan said, rubbing his nose.

"If not for the high-level battle qi manual, Flame Mantra, that you bestowed upon me, I would never have reached the seventh rank so quickly," Xiao Yan said with a sincere expression.

Xiao Yan meant every word from the bottom of his heart.

Only after arriving in the Coiling Dragon World could one truly grasp the cruelty of this realm. The social hierarchy here was almost entirely solidified; for a common genius to rise, talent alone was not enough.

Resources were equally vital, including but not limited to battle qi manuals and advanced magic incantations.

To become a powerhouse in this world, talent was insufficient. Otherwise, even if one possessed the talent to become a god, if they lived their entire life without knowing what battle qi was, that talent would be in vain. (Divine beasts excepted.)

Three years ago, when Xiao Yan arrived at Starfire City to seek an education, he displayed immense talent. However, due to his mysterious origins, most of the warrior academies in the Starfire Kingdom dared not accept him. The few that were willing were private academies funded by nobles; not only were resources scarce, but one had to sign an indentured contract, pledging to serve the nobles behind the academy after graduation.

Ultimately, just as Xiao Yan was at his wit's end, it was Yao Lao who stepped in, allowing him to successfully enter the Dragon Knight Warrior Academy.

Later, as Xiao Yan's strength grew, Yao Lao's interest in him increased, eventually bestowing the battle qi manual upon him once Xiao Yan broke through to the sixth rank.

"Boy Yan, no need to thank me. You reached this level so quickly because of your own talent; the Flame Mantra was merely the icing on the cake," Yao Lao said with a cold expression.

"Besides, when I gave you the Flame Mantra, I made it clear that this was a transaction!"

"I give you the opportunity to grow stronger, and you kill someone for me!" At the end, Yao Lao gritted his teeth, his tone laced with hatred.

"Who?" Xiao Yan asked directly, his tone devoid of hesitation or fear.

"Your strength is not yet enough. When the time is right, I will naturally tell you." Yao Lao, who had been closely observing Xiao Yan's reaction, felt a flicker of relief, and the coldness on his face softened slightly.

Following this, Yao Lao began to instruct Xiao Yan in the technique of "lifting the heavy as if it were light."

...By evening, Xiao Yan, exhausted from a full day of training with Yao Lao in the hills, dragged himself back to his villa. After washing up, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away, in the meditation room of Dormitory 9527 at the Imperial Capital Magic Academy, Lynn, who had been lying down all day, opened his eyes.

Yao Lao is a ninth-rank warrior who has mastered the technique of lifting the heavy as if it were light. His enemy certainly won't be weak—at the very least, they must be a peak ninth-rank warrior, or perhaps... a Saint-level powerhouse!

If it's the latter, that's a bit troublesome, Lynn thought, his expression grave.

"Third brother, just finished your cultivation?" Leiluo walked into the meditation room, noticing Lynn in deep thought.

Lynn suppressed his inner thoughts and smiled in response. "I didn't feel right today, so I decided to end my cultivation early."

"If you ask me, you should have rested long ago. Every day it's just the cafeteria, the classroom, and the meditation room—a three-point line. With that level of effort, you'd be an ascetic in the Church of Light," Gates' voice drifted in from outside the meditation room.

Step—step—Gates trotted into the meditation room.

"Hey, Leiluo, Senior Sister Nina is hosting a party tonight. What do you say?" Gates winked. "If you want to cultivate, I'll just go by myself."

"Nina?" A pure and lovely figure flashed through Leiluo's mind. Criminal, absolutely criminal!

"When can't you cultivate? But parties aren't common. Let's go," Leiluo said without hesitation. With that, the two prepared to leave.

"Lynn, want to come along?" Gates asked casually as they were leaving.

Neither Gates nor Leiluo expected Lynn to agree; it was just a habitual question.

"I won't go... wait a second, let me change my clothes." However, this time, Lynn, who had instinctively wanted to refuse, stopped mid-sentence. A thought crossed his mind, and he changed his tune, turning to go wash up.

"Huh?" x2

Gates and Leiluo exchanged glances, and the room fell silent.

After a long while, Leiluo's weak voice broke the silence. "Am I hallucinating? I think I just heard Third Brother say he's going to the party."

"I think I'm hallucinating too."

Soon, Lynn, having finished washing up, disappeared into the night under the guidance of his two "elders," Leiluo and Gates.

Not long after the three left, Taylor, who had been released by Old John, finally returned to the dormitory.

"Bang!"

"Third Brother, I heard on the way back that Senior Sister Nina is hosting a party. Leiluo and Gates must have left already, right? Unlike those two heartless guys, I was thinking of you still cultivating, so I came back specifically to keep you company."

"Let's cultivate together and out-grind Big Brother and Second Brother!"

"Hehe... wait, where's Third Brother? Why isn't he in the meditation room?"

"I get it, he must be cultivating in the hills... Hehe, clever Taylor has already seen through everything!"

Lynn had been transmigrated into the Coiling Dragon World for twelve years, but as far as attending noble parties went, today was truly a first for him.

It was much like the lyrics of a certain song.

The swaying red wine glass, lips stained as if with fresh blood, that unique beauty...

Under the soft music, men and women exuding an extraordinary aura swayed to the rhythm on the dance floor. Among them were Leiluo and Gates, who, at this moment, were like worker bees begging to mate, surrounding a blonde girl and radiating pheromones.

"Gulp~ Gulp~" Lynn frowned and set down his red wine glass. "As expected, I still can't get used to the taste."

"The one surrounded by Leiluo and Gates must be Nina, whom they mention so often."

While Lynn was focused on the dance floor, a youth in purple robes noticed him.

"I didn't expect you to come as well." The youth sat down beside Lynn with the familiarity of an old friend.

Hearing the familiar yet strange voice beside his ear, Lynn instinctively looked toward the newcomer.

It was actually Kasa.

"It's you!"

"It seems that this time, the great genius Lynn hasn't forgotten me." Noticing Lynn's reaction, Kasa teased him like an old friend; compared to half a year ago, he seemed much more mature now.

"Is there something you need?" Lynn replied casually, his gaze still fixed on the men and women on the dance floor.